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| Wearing art: Bui Xuan Hoang creates spectacular artworks in which he combines different materials in a strange and smart way, creating a special effect and emotion for wearers. |
Viet Nam News
By Do Minh
Wire artist Bui Xuan Hoang’s hands are full of callosities and scars. They are the result of years of curving metal wire to make artworks.
Contrary to the artworks of other artists, Hoang’s works — in the form of jewellery — are well polished and brilliant. Hoang is the founder of Lartique, a jewellery brand pioneering in wire art in Viet Nam.
He is one of the first craftsmen to develop wire art jewellery in the country. He began to work with metal wire in 2008 and gradually formed his own style while studying at the Ha Noi University of Industrial Fine Arts.
From 2009-11, his wire art jewellery became a trend, with many young people, including fashionistas and celebrities, wearing his creations. He also inspired other artists and craftsmen to take up his style.
Apart from several solo exhibitions held at home, Hoang made a debut abroad with an exhibition at the Asian Designer Week in New Delhi, India, in 2016.
Until now, Hoang has released four collections of wire art jewellery. Diẹu (Coquettish) is a combination of wire art and precious stones, while Xinh (Stylish) is a collection of earrings. Kim (Metal) collection is made from different kinds of metal wires. His latest collection, Thuy Ngoc (Quartz), features different kinds of quartz combined with wire art.
The quartz collection has 40 designs and took a year to complete, demanding much effort and passion from the artist.
“During my career, I have collected many kinds of quartz from Viet Nam, Cambodia, Thailand and India,” says Hoang. “I think of the collection for a long time. Quartz impressed me, inspired me and brought much surprise to me during the process.”
Each design bears a story and a discovery that Hoang wants to share with people.
“Each quartz stone with many crystals inside is like a universe; the more we look into it, the more ideas we discover,” says Hoang.
A mix of emotion and brilliance
Hoang was born in 1991 in the southern province of Can Tho.
Growing up in the rural area, Hoang learnt to make toys by himself when he was a boy. That was his first definition of hand-made things.
Hoang remembered that he often ran barefoot on the road like other kids his age. The touch of soil, field and water on his skin helped him realise the meaning and vitality of life and created a connection between him and nature.
No wonder that his first artwork resembled the shape of a bare foot. This shape also inspired him to make many rings and necklaces.
Hoang works on different kinds of metal wire such as steel, aluminium, zinc, bronze, gold and silver to make jewelleries. Each one brings a special experience and effect for both the artist and wearer.
“Stainless steel is hard and solid so I use pliers to shape the wire, while silver is soft and requires care and light influence. Using pliers on silver may leave a trace on the surface so I use a hammer,” says Hoang. He tends to preserve the natural form of stones and metal. He minimises the use of energy to influence the material such as electric welding, heating up and casting.
He just uses hammer and pliers to shape the artworks.
“Nature herself is very charming. I always try my best to bring that charm into my creations,” he says.
All of the jewelleries are hand-made, which is what make them unique. Hoang rarely makes two pieces that look like each other.
While he uses metal wire to make structure and lines, he combines wire with other material such as coins, wood, stones, pearls and gems to make compositions for the work. He just shapes the metal wire and preserves the original forms of the material.
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| Intricate design: While he uses metal wire to make structures and lines, he combines wire with other materials such as coins, wood, stones, pearls and gems to make compositions for the work. |
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| Jewels: Xinh (Stylish) is a collection of earrings made from quartz and silver. VNS Photo Truong Vi |
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| Some colour: Bui Xuan Hoang creates spectacular artworks in which he combines different materials in a strange and smart way, creating a special effect and emotion for wearers. |
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| Pioneer: Bui Xuan Hoang is one of the first craftsmen to develop wire art jewellery in the country. VNS Photo Truong Vi |
Sometimes, he sketches a model first and selects suitable stones for the wire. Sometimes, he finds stones with unique designs that he incorporates into his works.
“I just let the material to lead me to an endless journey of inspiration, imagination and creation,” says Hoang.
On being asked which kind of material is expensive, Hoang says it depends on how inspirational it is.
“For me, it’s a game in which I play with the material,” he says.
“I always create when I am in a good mood because I want to send positive energy into the artwork. When I am in a bad state of mind, I can’t make a beautiful thing.”
Nguyen Ngoc Anh is a familiar customer of Hoang’s brand. “When someone falls in love with Hoang’s art, she will be addicted, like me,” Anh says.
“People will be surprised with his products. With original material processed by simple tools, he creates spectacular artworks in which he combines different material in a strange and smart way, creating a special effect and emotion for the users. Everything is in balance,” she says.
“For example, Hoang created a metal wire earring for me with many details. I didn’t know how to wear it. But when he instructed me on how to wear it, I was totally amazed. There are many ways to wear the earring,” Anh says.
On his most impressive artwork till date, Hoang says it’s still a concept.
“It’s the most impressive one for me, because I always think about it. It is always haunting me,” he says.
Interestingly, Hoang no longer thinks about the items that he has already made. He just wants someone to buy and wear them, and not just for money, but also to give a sense of completion to his work.
“A beautiful necklace on the hanger may not look as beautiful as it does on a woman’s neck. The jewellery is more beautiful and complete when someone wears it,” says Hoang.
“I love everything I make but I don’t want to keep them for me. I will remember the emotion and glint in a woman’s eyes when she is satisfied with my jewellery.”
Hoang owns the showroom Lartique at Ha Noi Creative City, 1 Luong Yen Street, Hai Ba Trung District. -- VNS
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